


Foundation's Fire

by HawkTooth



Series: Closed Doors [2]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crime, F/M, Family, Friendship, Mystery, Romance, Sequel, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25154137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HawkTooth/pseuds/HawkTooth
Summary: Sequel to Closed Doors.Normality returned (as normal as it could be at least), life had settled, and things were moving smoothly again. Nick and Judy back to being just cops, dealing with new domestic challenges and the trials of living with the eccentric friends they've made, getting under Bogo's skin..the usual.Embron had warned them though: one battle may be won, but the war never ends. Old enemies are waiting in the wings, new secrets carry with them disturbing consequences, and while they were once fighting to save themselves and society, now the fox and rabbit duo have so much more to lose...
Relationships: Fangmeyer/Wolford (Zootopia), Gideon Grey/Sharla, Jack Savage/Skye, Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps/Nick Wilde
Series: Closed Doors [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1436080
Comments: 30
Kudos: 30





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It's been too long...but it's time the story continued. Buckle up all, it's going to be an interesting ride (one even I don't know exactly where it's going to go)!

__

_Back when all of time began_

_The system was set to run_

_A world, a universe of balance_

_Peace and chaos as one_

_Though an end is desired and set to be_

_The world must run its course_

_Understand that nothing stands hence_

_Without its shadow to mark its form_

_So truth is bare but secrets stay_

_And evil lives so that good is seen_

_When doors are opened others will close_

_And fires will burn so that new things may grow_

_“Nick, I have something…really important to tell you.”_

_…_

_“You’re…omigod! But, Embron he said…”_

_…_

_“You two really are something, aren’t you? Split that prediction right down the middle. Now we just have to wait…”_

_…_

_“Nick, I’m…I’m scared.”_

_“Don’t be, I’m right here for you. For all of us.”_

_…_

_“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde! Four, healthy, beautiful…”_

* * *

**WAKE UP**.

He’d been ready.

Death, he would have welcomed. Everything was the sum of what he’d lost, after all, and he’d been left for dead, buried, forgotten…

But apparently, even that escape, that solution wasn’t in the cards yet. God, or the Devil, he’d never given credence to, but powers existed out there far stronger than the mortal animals of this dirty rock floating around in space, and one of them, it had to be, had taken a liking to him, enough to keep him around. He’d had to have died from that last blow; he’d had no energy to fight it and had been hurt already, and nothing on this earth could have lived, but something wanted him to stick around.

Not enough though, clearly, to really help him out.

Lotera could barely even gasp from the pain raging across his battered body. Legs, feet, at least one arm if not both with bones broken at the least, most of his ribs probably shattered, burns strafing his shoulders and neck, and one eye was definitely burning from some sort of injury, damaged terribly.

And, he was still stuck below several tons of dirt and rubble, in a tiny little pocket where the columns had crashed at an angle against each other above him. Were it not for that, even whatever spiteful entity it was that was holding him among the living wouldn’t even have been able to resuscitate the mangled mess that would have been left smeared across the rubble.

Power? No, he had none, no more energy than what could keep him breathing through the fires roaring in his injuries. So, really, there was no getting himself out of this tomb either, not in the condition he’d been left in. That was his fate, one even worse than instant extinguishment: to starve and suffocate, or dehydrate to a husk.

But…it had been a rainforest that Lotera had found himself buried in, and within only hours a storm passed by, sending trickles of dirty water down through the mess to the Thylacine below. Whatever sickness might come from that mess was better than dying of dehydration and perhaps time would give a solution to his situation, so he took what he could open his mouth for. The water was tainted though, some sort of herbal chemical he couldn’t identify until his mind started to haze over.

By then it was too late to stop of course, and Lotera found himself at the mercy of one of his own destroyed weapons, blacking out in a red madness.

It was undoubtedly hours later when some form of consciousness returned to the battered mammal. So did the pain, somehow even worse than before, and he couldn’t fathom how that wasn’t killing him now. But, after Lotera’s vision cleared it wasn’t clouded blackness surrounding him. Still wedged between a pair of fallen beams but very much not the pocket he’d been in before, he now peered through a collapsed hole in the dirt covering the rubble into light, to the outside world. In the toxin-induced rage he’d dug himself into some new location, closer to the surface.

Suddenly, escape was within reach, and with that knowledge Lotera felt himself relax, willing away the pain to think more critically. Once out, he could find food, cleaner water, could start to heal (in the natural manner), but even now he knew that with the wounds he had he would never be able to fight as he once had. If he dared try and enter that war again, he certainly wouldn’t be able to tangle with the Gifteds he now knew were out there.

Hell, even walking right was likely to become a chore.

But…perhaps, he didn’t need to fight. Or at least, not be the one doing the fighting. There was still a chance to set things as they should be, or close enough to it. Unified society was a frail thing by nature, after all, and he could pull it apart thread be thread, use civilization against itself. Divide the house and it falls, and all that; all he needed to do was chip at its foundation again. It would take a lot longer, but obviously Plan A wasn’t going to work as he’d hoped, so what other route could he really take?

There would be obstacles though. The Catalysts out there, the Gifteds, they’d notice eventually that something was up again and would have to be confronted in some manner. Lotera himself couldn’t fight directly anymore if he lived through this trial, but there had to be other ways of pitting power against power. He’d learned from another source oh so many years ago, and now he was the expert to pass on his knowledge

Perhaps it was time he found a like-minded apprentice to do the fighting for him…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone nasty's back...ooh, but he's hurting. It's time to shuffle the balances of power a little, and play a new game. Let the war begin...
> 
> By the way, as noted in the earlier notes, I may have a general plot for this series and a handful of known events, but beyond that, right now what's to come is fairly open fair game. Got ideas that would fit well into this story? Let me know! We'll be seeing a lot of familiar faces from the last tale, and a lot of new ones too, so there's plenty to work with and a whole lot of story to cover.  
> Until next time...HawkTooth out!


	2. Three Years On

_Where have you been in all this time?_

_What adventures have held your hand?_

_Or better, what adventures are to come_

_And may we join you in your band?_

_The world’s grown bigger, and yet smaller too_

_Such a paradox of the learner’s art_

_But friends are there to balance it all_

_In your life they play no small part_

“Alright Fangs, two doors up and hang a right. Anderson’s got the south outside door, Carrots and I are hanging to the east.”

“Do we have visual on firepower?”

“Well, we did have a feed from Birdie for a bit, but they seem to have cut their own cameras. Literally of course, otherwise he’d have just turned them back on. A moose, spectacled bear, and a pair of okapi at least though, all had at least one firearm apiece. They’re not leaving this stash easy.”

“Fantastic. Alright, Wolfard and I will draw attention and hold them off, you and Hopps get in and tranq them. Anderson keeps post in case anyone else tries to run it out.”

“Copy. You and Wolfie got enough for cover?”

“We should. And this is a serious mission, can we cut back on the Nicknames?”

“That would be a negative. Can’t not be me, come on.”

Nick twisted slightly to avoid the elbow he knew was aiming for his side, and grinned at his partner. As long as they’d been together now, it took a lot more than that to catch him (usually), and she should have known it.

But now it was time for radio silence, so there wouldn’t be any further quips for a bit as they closed in. A nod between them, and he and Judy exited their hiding spot and ducked down the hall toward their targeted set of rooms.

This had been a sting two months in the works, and if all went well the takedown would be worth it. Nick and Judy had both about six months prior been promoted to Detective, shortly behind their buddy duo Christine Fangmeyer and Elliot Wolfard, and all four of them had been tracing the trail of a relatively new synthetic hallucinogen that had been popping up on corners around the city. The distributors had been careful, especially in terms of any hard trails to follow, but the cops had gotten a break when a now old friend had picked up a transaction with one of them through a hazy shop camera feed in outer Sahara Square and traced the individual to an imports company in the Docks.

From there, the network had unfurled like a well-made net, and now they’d finally targeted the heads of the smuggling ring in a recently refurbished but otherwise unassuming office building a few blocks inshore of the marinas. While other police forces were rounding up the in-city distributors, the heads had only just been alerted that they’d been made, just a few hours too late to make a run for it.

_Sucks for them that their tidy new building’s gonna go to waste now,_ Nick thought as they sidled up to the door. Judy pressed one ear against it, listening for movement or conversation while the tod next to her readied the weapon at his side. Judy held up a hand, motioning out the locations of the mammals within, and then reached up to grasp the knob while Nick flicked out a thin tool from his pocket and worked the lock. Carefully he maneuvered it, making sure the lock switch inside the room would turn as slowly and silently as possible, and as soon as it was undone Judy did the same with the doorknob itself. The frame cracked open ever so slightly, and then fox and rabbit paused, looking each other in the eyes and conveying messages where no words were needed.

Then the tod reached up and keyed the headset he wore again. “Our door’s unlocked. Ready?”

“Ready,” Christine’s voice replied in equal low volume.

“…Go.”

Across the other side of the room within another door slammed, followed by Elliot yelling, “Police! Drop your weapons and –dammit!”

Further words were cut off by the report of gunfire and bullets ricocheting off of metal.

Judy didn’t hesitate, opening the door they were at just enough for her and Nick to slip through and slide along the wall under a shallow table. The drug dealers didn’t see them at all, shielded as the two were by furniture and the fact that smaller officers were still extremely uncommon on the force; opposition rarely looked below belt level for authorities.

Of course, that still didn’t mean the job was going to be easy. There was a third door around the far side of a half-wall that none of the cops were covering, and a palm civet already had a stash under their arm and was bolting for it. Judy locked onto the viverrid and bolted too, signaling Nick to cover her as she slid around a stack of boxes and under the legs of the moose, drawing the attention of the two okapi. They turned to shoot her, only to be stalled as Nick planted a pair of darts into their exposed necks.

“You’re just making it worse for yourselves!” Elliot snarled as he unfastened a gun from his hip, angling the barrel around the shield he was holding (the shield itself, and the one his own partner hefted, both gifts to help the cause from another now old friend) to try and draw a bead on the paws (and hooves) holding the opposing weapons. The okapi were already starting to stumble, and he heard Judy bodily tackle the civet behind the wall, so he peeked around to bead on the moose first and fired.

The bullet smacked against the gun and wrenched it to the side violently, making the moose grunt in pain and the bear stumble to the side to avoid being smacked by the barrel (oblivious to the slow ricochet that had just missed his ear and embedded into the wall beyond; Wolfard didn’t, and winced at the close call). It was enough distraction to allow Nick to plant another pair of darts in the two of them and then slip by.

Just in time too; Judy had kicked the civet’s gun and the drug cache well away already, but the other mammal had done the same with her dart gun and was now using his far more flexible body to twist around and lock a stranglehold on the rabbit. Rather than reach for her weapon or try and pry the civet’s fingers off her neck though, Judy was reaching for the nearby wall socket.

“Freeze!” Nick shouted, startling both of them, and as the civet glanced up the fox fired one last dart into his upper thigh. The mammal screamed at the burning sensation, and loosened up just enough for Judy to readily break his hold and elbow him in the stomach, making him disentangle fully from her and try to scramble away.

Unfortunately he scrambled right toward Nick, who in one fluid motion grabbed and twisted his right arm back and flattened him to the ground long enough for the tranquilizer to take effect. Behind him, the moose and bear both stumbled to their knees, they a little larger than the darts the fox was using were filled for but made groggy enough to lose hold of their weapons and allow for Christine and Elliot to fold their shields and approach with cuffs and their own rounds to finish the job.

“Anderson,” Nick said into his mic as he fastened cuffs of his own onto the civet, “suspects apprehended. Let the Chief know we’ll be heading in soon and then come in to help load up the cargo, will ya?”

“Copy, Nick. Nice work!”

“Thanks. Wilde out.” He tilted his head to push the button off again, and then locked eyes with Judy as she stood up.

The rabbit paused, seeing the expression in the gaze she was receiving, and sighed. “Nick, look, I”-

“Save it, Carrots, I know what you were going to do,” Nick cut her off. He waved a paw at the socket. “Were I not here, sure, but trust me to have your back before resorting to that, will you?” He shook his head and walked over to check and make sure the civet hadn’t done any lasting damage on her neck and, once satisfied, pulled her into a hug. “Though mind you, I say this mostly because it’s a real headache trying to explain to anyone outside the four of us here or Buffalo Butt how the civet managed to arrive looking like a toilet brush on a barbecue grill.”

A pair of snickers behind them made them both look back at the wolf and tiger, who were finishing trussing up the other four criminals. “You could rely on us for a few yarns, you know,” Christine grinned, hoisting the two okapi up to drag them out of the building. “Don’t tell the Chief, but we’ve spun a few tales in our time when the need arose.”

“Somehow, I doubt any of them were as legally gray as or involved covering up strange supernatural abilities though,” Judy pointed out, but she couldn’t help grinning. The support of the two bigger officers still meant a lot, and as Nick hauled up the civet and the other two officers started dragging the bigger incapacitated lot out, she couldn’t help but think over the past few years that she (and Nick) had had on the force.

Associations among coworkers were normal of course, but the four of them had, somewhat by necessity, become something unique, a force to be reckoned with whenever they were all on a case (and that was probably helped, admittedly, by the bonding they’d had in events a little over 3 years beforehand). Fox and rabbit as partners was odd enough, but fox, rabbit, wolf, and tiger was a combo unheard of in any workplace before, yet none of them could see it being any other way at this point.

Anderson met them in the hall, the polar bear taking the moose from Christine as he was larger and could heft the chunky ungulate with much more ease. “Another rapid takedown for the books,” he commented, glancing down at Nick and Judy. “Clawhauser said most of the other teams are still in play, nobody’s pinned all the underlings just yet. Should be up to another half hour before they all call in.”

Judy grinned again on hearing this and with a glance at her partner (whose ears folded back in apprehension at her look), drawled out, “Well, maybe we have time to help out another team. Who’s closest?”

Nick sighed. “Should’a guessed,” he muttered. “Day’s not over until everyone’s day is over.”

* * *

“Chief wants to see you in his office.”

Clawhauser’s tone made Judy’s ears drop.

Nick, while he didn’t show anything more than his usual smug confidence, felt the same way. “He say why?” the tod asked.

The cheetah shrugged as he stacked a few forms behind the counter and gave them an apologetic look. “Not this time,” he replied. “I hadn’t heard about any pranks in the building as of late, so guess it’s not that, but he didn’t give details; you know how he is. Just said send you two up when you got here.”

The two smaller mammals pursed their lips, and then looked up at their other partners.

“Don’t worry, probably just an after-case catch up,” Elliot said with a grin, reaching over to take the cuffs of the civet Nick had been leading in. As he did he whispered, “Or, you know, hush hush our chatty friends can’t hear.” He straightened up then, pulling the civet closer to him and then looking down the hall. “We’ll take care of these guys and catch up with the other teams when they all come in; you two go on.”

“Thanks Elliot,” Judy said, giving the wolf a grateful smile. “We’ll talk to you over paperwork later then.”

“Ugh, paperwork,” Christine muttered, but with a wink. “Will do.” With a nod, she, Elliot, and Officer Anderson led the crooks off to the holding cells, leaving the fox and rabbit alone in the entry. The two of them stole another shared glance with each other, shrugged in tandem, and shuffled off and up the stairs to the second floor.

The Chief’s office was no less imposing looking than when they had first started working in the Precinct. More, perhaps, with the gash that ran along one side of the wood frame now (the result of an underground fighter who’d tried to win his freedom from his charges by challenging the buffalo within to a brawl. All officers who’d been present for that had received a glimpse of just why Bogo was not to be trifled with, and the poor defeated hippo had added assault on an officer to his already hefty list of charges instead). Bogo had not sought to get it fixed since, claiming it gave a more authoritative personality to the entrance.

Nick reached up and knocked, and the familiar gruff, “Enter!” answered. Inside was no different either, though a couple of new phone lines had been installed, what with the changes the past few years had brought. Judy and Nick walked over and scrambled (or hopped) up onto the ever oversized chair opposite from the buffalo shuffling through forms on the desk. Bogo barely glanced up at them before continuing his shuffling.

“Wilde. Wilde.”

“Chief,” the two answered in sync (Judy holding back a smile at the still rare use of her changed last name; calling them separately by their maiden names still helped address them formally individually, so around the workplace it was rare for the one she’d now taken on to be heard directed at her). When no further response came from Bogo, however, the pair of them shared a confused glance, but with nothing else to do were stuck waiting for a signal for the situation.

Shuffling continued.

Fox and rabbit began to fidget on the lumpy cushion. Shuffling stopped, but then Bogo stooped over and pulled out another stack of papers from one of the desk’s drawers, and began to sift through them too.

Finally Judy couldn’t help but inquire, “Sir…are we…in trouble, for something?”

“No,” Bogo responded immediately, finally looking up. “I just wanted to see which of you would crack first. I was hoping it would be the other Wilde.”

Said fox’s ears drooped. “Your humor leaves something to be desired, sir.”

Bogo smirked (a rare, and in this case slightly unnerving sight) and put the papers down, pressing his hooves together and placing them on top of the stack. “I received a call from Agent Wellinger earlier today,” he said, “and she told me to pass a notice on to you two: they’ll be gone a bit longer than previously expected. Apparently some old ghosts from Agent MacIntyre’s past decided to revisit making a mess in Gnugoslavia; issues started a year and a half ago but some technical error in the local authority’s systems prevented the escape reports from reaching the agency until about a week ago.”

“Wait, why didn’t Skye just call us directly?” Judy asked, one ear folding down in befuddlement.

“Saving time,” Bogo replied with a shrug. “She said she knew telling me would get the message to you, without risking interfering with the sting. They’re on the trail already, but with the system glitch they’re going to take Mallupe on the case to try and figure out how it happened. We may be without his assistance for a short while.”

“Any word from Rocky himself?” Nick asked. “I know he’s been abroad for a bit.”

Bogo shook his head. “No,” he said, “but I would imagine he’d either join in search with them or return here to ready in case the problem trickled over somehow.” He let out a long breath, and reached up to rub his temples. “They said it’s unlikely, followings wouldn’t grow that fast,”-

“Oh, this has to do with that cult thing, doesn’t it?” Judy interjected. Then at her superior’s look she wilted. “Sorry, sir.”

Bogo nodded. “Yes, it does,” he said, “but as I was saying before the interruption, Savage and Wellinger said just in case to keep an eye out for odd activity. Not that they specified exactly what ‘odd’ meant of course. But you two,” he leaned forward and pointed at them with a hard hoof, “have a bad habit of finding trouble, so if you see anything report it immediately. And no fireworks.”

“That’s a given, Chief,” Nick deadpanned, though he didn’t spare his partner from another pointed glance (making her wilt slightly further). “We’ll call in, but we won’t be out the next day or two at least so is it okay if we let Fangmeyer and Wolfard know as well?”

“Ah, yes, training,” the buffalo muttered with a roll of his eyes. “Yes, let them know too. I assume Wellinger or Savage called them already, but just in case you might as well inform the Canistons when you head up there. And if you will, let Embron know I need his expertise if he can spare five minutes in the next week.”

Nick’s curiosity piqued. “What about?”

“That is between him and me, Wilde. Now, the sting is over, an overall success as initial reports have told me, so you two should return to your desks and finish the paperwork for it. Then you will be dismissed until Monday.” He gave a jerk of his head, and then settled back to his own papers. “Get a move on.”

“Yes sir!” both officers answered, saluting and jumping down from their seats. “I’ll tell Alistair you said hi,” Nick added, and looked back to see Bogo try and give a dismissive huff at his words…but fail to fully hide a small smile.

Outside the office, Judy grinned and looked up at her partner. “Think if they track anything to Mammalia Jack and Skye will let us join the search?” she asked brightly.

Nick looked down at her with a quirked eyebrow, and shook his head. ‘You’ve got a death wish, Carrots.” He put on a half-exasperated grin and turned down the hall toward their cubicles, waving a hand. “Honestly, trailing a cult that made MacIntyre fake his own death? I’d just as soon sit that one out, thanks. Even paperwork sounds better.”

“Lucky for us then that there’s a lot of that, isn’t it?”

* * *

Three and a half years ago, the events transpired were finally enough to allow Nick to convince his mother to give up her old, just barely decent house in Happytown, and move somewhere a little more secure (and closer to her son’s own permanent residence). As she’d never spent the money he had tried sending her through his years of gray earnings and instead had stashed in savings, paying off the slightly roomier new home on the edge of Savannah central was a cinch too.

Nick thought the whole presentation of the place was much more inviting and warm than the last, his old childhood home, and smiled as he and Judy pulled up and parked a small tan sedan in front of the gate to the yard (a vehicle had become a bit of a necessary acquisition for them too for reasons soon to be disclosed). They both stepped out, locking the doors before joining up to walk arm in arm through the gate and up to the front door. Both of them had keys to Vivian’s place just in case, so there was no need for knocking, but the two paused on the doorstep anyway, debating whether to announce their presence beforehand or just head on in. Within the home a lot of chatter could be heard, but once Nick decided to just go in and slid his key into the lock it all died out, the house dropping silent.

The tod quirked an eyebrow, glancing sidelong at the doe next to him as they tried to parse out what they might be interrupting, before both shrugged and unlocked the door, carefully opening it to peer in.

A darkened and virtually empty living room greeted them, made darker still by the evening hour. The two stepped inside with caution on their faces, closing the door behind them as Judy’s ears perked; she could hear minute shufflings somewhere nearby, but couldn’t pinpoint the source. Nick stepped forward, looking around the corner of the reclining chair nearest them and then the other way in toward the kitchen, before finally deciding to call out, “Hello? Anybody home? I know I heard voices.”

A quiet clattering, skittering noise sounded further in, making both mammals spin around to face the far hall, and not a second later a loud, high-pitched voice shouted, “Attack!”

Four orange-and-gray blurs rocketed out from various places around the living room and hall, practically flying toward the pair. Nick instinctively raised his arms up to block and catch one of the projectiles, but was slammed in his midsection by two of the others. Judy was hit by the fourth, and the result: two officers down.

“Ha! We win, we win! You lose! Put your hands up!”

“You didn’t see us at all!”

“You’re surprised, aren’cha?”

“I’ve got you Mommy!”

As the initial shock of the ambush subsided, a mirthful Vivian finally flicked on a light further down the far hall, holding a paw over her mouth as she tried (and failed) to hide the laughter. Moments later tod and doe couldn’t help but join her through their groans as they sat back up, carrying up with them the culprits.

“Ohhh…yeah, yeah, you got us,” Nick chuckled as he pulled the clingers off of his middle, and looked with exasperation-coated pride at the three furballs now on his lap, and the fourth on Judy’s.

When the rabbit had first told him that she was pregnant, Nick had nearly fainted. Upon seeing her start her labor in the hospital several months later, the “nearly” part was lost. And the result…even their biology nerd of a friend Embron had been left speechless, let alone the two of them and the doctors involved. After all, it was supposed to have been an impossibility for a long time yet, but then, Nick and Judy were used to breaking the rules at this point.

Two boys, two girls. Two foxes, two rabbits, one of each primarily gray like their mother, and the others more orange-red like their father, and each of them just barely showing hints of the traits of the other species. Alexander Stuart the gray-toned fox kit with orange highlights on his head and tail, Victoria Anahera the red (and a spitting image of her father save a little gray above her brows), Alistair Jonathan the orange-hued rabbit kit, and lastly Silene Ember Wilde, who could have passed for a young Judy were it not for her somewhat shorter, pointier ears and blue eyes on either side of her dark-patched nose.

They were just over three years old now, their parents’ greatest pride and joy…but also quite quickly proving themselves to be taking on the wit, determination, and cunning of their two progenitors. In a toddler, that made for a wicked time for anyone watching them, relatives or not. Luckily neither Vivian nor Bonnie and Stu had yet to express any qualms about wrangling the quartet, and something about the kits had even managed to get under Nick’s old friend Finnick’s skin, placing even him firmly on the babysitting rotation while their parents were at work.

“Did you four at least behave for Grandma Viv?” Judy queried, reaching up to brush down Alexander’s fur as he bounced on her lap. Her eyes shifted over her kits, and then up to Vivian. Her kits’ eyes followed too, all nodding vigorously before pleading to the older vixen for support.

Vivian chuckled again and walked over to pull Alistair off of Nick and up into her arms. “Oh, no problem at all,” she soothed, bouncing the little rabbit up and down as he smiled at her. “The usual antics of the young, but after 17 years with Nicholas that’s hardly anything for me.”

“Gee, thanks Mom.”

“*giggle* Daddy was bad!” Silene squealed, pointing at Nick and laughing at his expense.

Nick rolled his eyes, but reached over to ruffle the fur on her head anyway before he looked back up to Vivian. “Well, weekend’s almost here, so we’ll take the little goblins off your paws for a few days at least,” he said, scooting the kits off so that he could stand up and then began to usher them toward the door. “Gotta dump ‘em on Savage’s pup for tomorrow and then wrestle them down for Saturday and Sunday.”

“We’ve had the same rotation going for two years now, Slick, I’m sure she remembers,” Judy teased as she got up too, walking over to pull the door open before snapping her paw out to grab Alistair as he ran for the door when Vivian put him down. “See you soon Viv, and as always, we appreciate your help!”

“They’re my grandkits, it’s my pleasure dear,” Vivian replied with a wave. “Take care now, and do tell Scarlet and Embron I said hi.”

“For sure!”

They’d heard others say it before, but Nick and Judy both knew it was true now as the words popped into both their heads again when they started scrambling to get all four kits into their seats in the car: you don’t know at all what it’s like to have kids until you actually have them. Five minutes later, after all straps were finally secured and all kits finally done trying to undo said straps, the adults slumped into the front seats with a shared sigh, Judy at the wheel and almost glacially starting it up. “Dibs on pajamas tonight, you can do the baths,” she muttered.

Nick’s ears shot straight up and then back, and he turned a glare on her. “Uh uh, you did that last night,” he argued. “Your turn for an extra soaking.”

The rabbit twisted to look at him as well, building up the retort for battle, before her face softened. “Or, we could do what usually happens anyway,” she mused, smirk developing rapidly. “Tag team.”

The tod scoffed and poked her in the shoulder. “As if one of us alone could ever actually get all four of them in the tub. Well, with any luck we can get to bed at a decent hour tonight and maybe not be so wiped for training tomorrow; any chance they’ll give us a slow day for once?”

As she maneuvered the car out onto the street, Judy snorted. “The Canistons? Easy?” she spared a glance at her husband, and then focused ahead with a disagreeing headshake. “Embron maybe, if those eggs he mentioned have hatched yet, but not a chance with Scarlet unless she’s on a shoot. Better buck up, week’s not over yet.”

Nick slumped into the seat with a tired sigh, closing his eyes. Then he gave a short shrug. “Ah, well, a fox can dream.” A grin found its way onto his lips, and he cracked and eye open to look back at the kits again. “Eh, at least we can see how Jack’s kid is faring still, and let him know those two are gonna be late if Embron hasn’t already. This week’s test was a doozy I hear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the first full chapter is out already...but don't expect that pace from here out. I had this one ready (and also wanted to get the story to ZNN submission size...), and we need to hear from our main characters as well.   
> Plus, everyone needed an intro to four of our most special new arrivals: the WildeHopps kits! We saw them in the cover art, but now the names can be put to the faces, and everyone can start getting properly attached. And, we're more up to date on everyone's positioning in the story now, so we can start jumping around to see what everyone is up to at present, and start having some real fun with the story.  
> There will certainly be much more pause before the next chapter is up, but no worries, it's in progress. So, until next time, HawkTooth out!


	3. The Wolf and the Weirdos

Chapter 2

The Wolf and the Weirdos

_Though they try to ne’er admit it_

_Nobody loves normalcy_

_The eccentric and strange attract_

_People in all walks of life_

_For diversity is a needed spice_

_And the odd ones jarring relief_

_We need surprise_

_And the unpredictable few_

_To feel alive and like all is well_

_Though strangely enough_

_It’s sometimes the most normal few_

_That are the oddest of them all_

“We there yet?”

“A few more minutes, sweetie.”

“Too long; I wanna be there now!”

“Victoria, patience.”

Nick shared a strained glance with his wife; among the things they could have done without when having kits, the complaining ranked among the worst. And at three years old, all four were only just barely getting into knowing properly how to do so, but attempting with gusto.

“You know they get that from you, right?” the fox muttered, if teasingly. “So impatient and in a hurry.”

“Yeah, well, they get the whiny part from their father,” Judy shot right back, crossing her arms; Nick was driving this time so she had the freedom to do so (but also the responsibility of keeping the foursome in the back under control since she could reach them). “So we’re on even ground for blame. But look, were almost there, and they’ll be happy to see Bhoot again, so we’re almost through it for now.”

Despite being up here on average a minimum of at least once a week, the Cloud Forest still gave Nick the creeps. Constantly misty, thick with choking vegetation…and at this time of year just a touch chillier than usual so the fog stuck around longer and thicker, seeping into clothes and fur. It made finding the hidden drive just that much harder, and as wasn’t uncommon the fox nearly overshot the spot. He banked hard, turning the car back slightly so that he could drive into the dense tree-tunnel.

The kits, of course, squealed in delight at the sharp turn, before giggling as they looked around at the shadowy trunks; dense as the interwoven branches were it was nearly like twilight, until they popped out into the official driveway at least. The house hadn’t changed much on the exterior over the years, though seemingly the wild garden around it grew ever more a complex, flowering mess.

“Embron really ought to trim out here,” Judy commented as they parked and climbed out.

Nick looked out over the yard too, smirking at the rabbit’s farm-days quip, before he snorted and ducked his head into the back of the car to unfasten the buckles on the kits. “Guy lives in a jungle by choice, Carrots,” he muttered. “Not a chance he’d clean up the vegetation. Alright Alistair, hup! we go!” He pulled the orange-tinted rabbit kit out of his seat and then reached over for Silene, as Judy did the same for Alex and Victoria. Nick felt the urge to comment about the two of them outweighing her together, but decided it was wisest not to; she could bench-press him with no sweat, after all.

With kits in arms, they both shuffled to the front door, Nick reaching forward awkwardly around Silene and pressing his palm to the pad by the doorknob. A moment later there was a ding followed by the sound of sliding deadbolts, and the six mammals shouldered their way in.

Almost immediately they had to backpedal as a white blur blew past down the hallway and around the next corner, a flash of red shirt and wagging tail all they could make out. As they looked on with raised eyebrows, a second figure rounded the opposite corner with obvious intent to pursue.

“Bhoot! Dammit, I need that –oh!”

18 feet of striped, scaly coils skidded to a stop in front of the Wildes, looking up at them in surprise. “N-Nick! Judy! Is it Friday already?”

“Hey Hannah; seems it is,” Judy answered in greeting, setting the two furry bundles she held down on the floor but keeping ahold of their paws. “Things a little hectic this morning?”

The king cobra gave her a flat look. “It’s the Caniston household,” she drawled, tail coiling to emphasize the point. “If it’s not dead silent, then it’s always hectic.”

“Touché. Well, we’ve got a quartet of kits to drop off with the white bullet that went by, and then care to point us in the direction of the heads of household?”

Hannah nodded, and then looked down the hall that led into the center of the house. “Embron’s the only one in house right now,” she noted, “as Scarlet’s off on a film shoot currently, but she’ll be back later today.” Turning her head more fully, she leaned out and shouted down the same said hallway, “Bhoot! Get your tail out here, you’re on babysitting duty! The Wildes are here!”

There was a loud thump somewhere in the house, and a few seconds later a bright white head with blue eyes and a pink nose poked around the corner almost straight ahead. Then the rest of the figure followed, sprinting down the hall.

“Hi guys! Can’t believe it’s already –ooff!”

Hannah took her chance, the back half of her body swinging up and wrapping around the speeding canine as she reached down with her tail to pull an electronic labeler out of his grip. “And I’ll take this, thank you!” she quipped, releasing a now very sheepish looking wolf pup and looking back at the newcomers. “Eggs are hatching, tubs need new labels for them all; you know the drill.” Then she looked back at the pup.

Adoption proceeds had gone forward, and the pup before them had officially become Bhoot Savage about two and a half years ago. Just over thirteen years old now, he was finally starting to grow into his gangly form, making his head (and the ever over-positive expression he wore by extension) look a little less oversized. His fur was thicker and less mangy looking too, so the leucistic wolf was starting to actually become a handsome individual, a far cry from the poor soul they first met him as.

Shooting Hannah a look that said he felt like she’d cheated on a game (she clearly didn’t feel the same way), Bhoot shot a blinding smile at Nick and Judy. “How you guys been?” he asked. “Did that drug ring come down?”

“Yeah, we got that all cleared up yesterday, finally,” Nick replied with a matching smirk, reaching out to tussle the fur on top of Bhoot’s head. Internally, he noted that the other canine was just starting to get tall enough that that was becoming difficult to do; soon enough Bhoot would be taller even than Embron. “Judy almost roasted one of them though; barely managed to dart the guy to keep him from turning toasty.”

“Hey!” Judy objected, glaring at Nick. “Teasing me yesterday wasn’t enough?”

“You know I can’t just quit after one day.”

The rabbit rolled her eyes and looked back to Bhoot. “Anyway,” she drawled, “someone told us you had a test recently. Do alright on it?”

The wolf nodded vigorously, smiled getting brighter. “Oh yeah!” he gushed. “Online grader said I got a 93; I know Embron and Scarlet both hate math but they’ve helped me a lot. I might just get an honor credit with this one!”

Alright, good for you!” Judy exclaimed, briefly letting Victoria go (since Hannah was there to keep them from running off) and reaching up to give Bhoot a high five. “Keep it up and you’ll be caught up and graduated in no time! That reminds me though: the other two living here tell you about Jack and Skye already?”

Bhoot nodded, smile slipping a bit as he sighed, and he leaned against the wall. “Yeah,” he said, “disappointing, but I know why. It’s fine though; better they get whoever they’re after caught again before they make more trouble, and they’ll be back in a couple weeks one way or another anyway.” He shrugged, and started smiling again.

Hannah nodded nearby, before clearing her throat and gesturing between the wolf and the four kits. “Alright, well, we all know what Nick and Judy are here for,” she said, “so Bhoot, take the kits, keep them busy, you know the drill.”

Bhoot nodded and knelt down with his arms open as he looked at the kits. “Hey guys!” he greeted. “Come on, let’s head down to the playroom; sound good?”

“Yeah!” all four kits squealed, their parents letting go of them and letting them swarm the bigger kid with tails wagging furiously, before running around his legs as he stood back up and led them down the hall toward the stairs.

The three adults watched them go with expressions ranging from amusement to bewilderment. “It’s still amazing how well he works with little ones,” Judy commented, head cocking to the side (a trait she’d unknowingly picked up off of Nick; he hadn’t, surprisingly, commented on it yet.)

Hannah snorted. “Yeah, and good thing too,” she muttered, turning to slither down the hall to their left. “We get a day off from him, and as you know the Canistons and I are not really big on children ourselves.”

“Hm, yeah, asocial introverts that you all are,” Nick teased, following along with Judy right behind him. “So, where _can_ we find the coy-fox anyway?”

“Eastern greenhouse, back of the complex,” Hannah replied, pointing with her tail in that vague general direction. “Shouldn’t be too hard to spot him; he’s been ‘experimenting’ recently, and it’s been flashy. Won’t even tell me what he’s up to though, some secret he and Scarlet are keeping close.”

Nick perked up at that, his curiosity stoked. “Ooh, intrigued. Well, we’ll leave you be and go bother him for a time then. Ciao!”

They waved goodbye, and cut to the side through one of the several hallways on the main floor, making their way across the maze-like house. After the three years they’d been running around it the layout was no longer quite so confusing to them, but it was obvious the building was custom-made and took a lot of getting used to. Once back out in the halls that ringed the exterior it was easier to navigate, and it was obvious soon enough where the present head of the household was settled, as one of the doors to the greenhouse on the east face of the home was propped open, music and flashes of light emanating from within.

Nick shared another look with his partner, and both grinned as they crouched against either side of the doorframe. The rabbit twisted her head and cocked and ear around the corner, noting both the song that was playing (Zayde Wolf’s “Army,” a typical Embron tune) and also the location of the coyote within, almost directly down the path at the far end of the glass room.

“South end, at the far bench,” Judy whispered to her partner, gesturing that they should go in and split up on either side of the room. Nick nodded his agreement; the nature of the greenhouse made sneaking around a bit difficult (and he was likely to dirty his currently nice clean shirt), but they were both smaller than Embron and could probably squeeze under the benches more easily.

Judy slipped inside first, Nick peeking through to watch as she darted across the short path and under the far benches, taking care not to disturb the plants hanging down everywhere (or brush against some of them, nasty as a few were. Nick had had a couple experiences with those before and all had learned quickly afterward). Once she was in position, the fox slipped under the closest row, bending his ears down to keep them from scraping the moss above them.

As soon as they were both in the room however whatever Embron had been doing to cause the flashing of light reflections they’d seen halted. The two of them froze, but the music continued without interruption as did the coyote’s half-singing, half-mumbling along to it. There was no sound or movement to indicate Embron turning around to spot them either, so they started to creep forward, slinking in tandem down the length of the greenhouse.

Beyond the bench, Nick could see the target’s feet, and the coyote’s thick tail occasionally sweeping around and flaring in time with the rhythm. Bits of soil were falling here and there from somewhere above; Embron was repotting something, business as usual. Slinking forward further, Nick paused, just out of visual range, flicked his ear to signal Judy to get ready, and-

“You two can crawl out from under the benches now. Nice try though,” Embron drawled suddenly, the music fading away but the shuffling sound of paws in soil continuing; he hadn’t seen them, just knew they were there apparently. Neither other mammal moved for a moment, hoping the coyote was bluffing, but then there was a sigh, and the red-tinted paws turned around for the body above them to lean against the bench.

“I could just pull you out too.”

Nick caved first, scowling in defeat and scooting out to brush off the dirt that had expectedly scuffed onto his shirt and knees. Looking up as Judy also huffed and followed his lead, he met Embron’s knowing smirk. “Alright, point to the ‘yote,” the tod conceded, standing up and leaning against the bench he’d been under with a frown. “What supernatural cop-out did you use this time?”

Embron snorted, lifting up a paw and flicking a chunk of dirt at the fox before turning back to the pots behind him. “It isn’t a cop-out if it comes naturally and keeps you alert. And FYI, my electromagnetic sense was always something I had, not just a Gifted thing.”

“Wait, I thought metal objects deflected that,” Judy skeptically replied, shuffling forward to look around Embron’s arm at the pots he was filling up. “That’s why we went under the benches. What are you getting ready for here, also?”

“Okay, so being Gifted strengthens my original skill,” Embron admitted, grinning as he looked down at her. “But you otherwise still bend the field in the room when you move, metal or not.” Reaching over, he picked up a pot full of strange looking plants with twisting, almost succulent looking leaves. “To your other question, I need to separate out these _Brunsvigia grandiflora_ seedlings before they crowd each other out. But,” he toned, setting the pot down and clapping his paws together. A mild bluish flash ran over them in concert, sparks appearing as the soil still sticking to them burned away. “But, you two aren’t here for my botany monologues I know; come on, we’ll head downstairs and get training started.”

With a flick of his tail and the flare of his ever-present duster coat, the coyote whirled and headed for the door. Nick caught the amusement on Judy’s face and shared it, before they both fell in step behind him. Out in the hall, Embron tilted his head back and asked, “So, parenthood getting close to killing you two yet?”

_Sometimes I think so_ ¸ Nick muttered in his head, though Judy answered out loud instead. “It’s hard, yeah,” she replied, giving a shrug (that Embron may or may not have actually seen as he turned another corner) like she hadn’t just been getting run ragged by the complaints in the car five minutes before. “But it’s not as terrible as you seem to think, Embron.”

A snort was the answer. “Uh huh. Kits and I don’t mix, it probably would be for me.”

“Oh come on, Firefox,” Nick prodded, speeding up so he could walk more alongside the other canid. “If you ever meet a special someone nutty enough to pair with you, I’ll bet your tune will change.”

Another snort, and Embron slowed to cast a sidelong deadpan toward both of them. “Right,” he drawled, slowly leaning to one side to practically fall around the next bend in the central hall. “Part-fox coyote with a green thumb for the weirdest plants on earth, a couple hundred snakes in his house, penchant for drama and cynical humor drenched in sarcasm and just a little bit of supernatural mayhem to spice it all up. Besides my own sister, what other mammal do you really think would be able to survive being a constant part of my life?” Twisting his head, a laugh escaped Embron’s throat and he crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. “Oh, and speak of the devil and she shall appear!”

Walking (or as it would seem, sashaying) down the stairs from the kitchen above, and now frozen in surprise with a slice of pie halfway in her mouth, was the ocelot other half of the Caniston pair. Her immobile state didn’t last long though, as she took in the impassive, amused, and concerned (respectively) expressions of her brother, Nick, and Judy. Shooting back a face-stuffed grin, she continued her odd gait in their direction.

“Hi guysshh!” Scarlet said around the pie. “’Tschup?”

“Failing to sneak up on your brother as usual, unfortunately,” Nick replied coolly, though he did flick an annoyed look at said coyote. “’Tsup with you, besides the pie in your piehole? We were told you were on a film shoot.”

Scarlet grunted and nodded, wisely swallowing her bite (or several sensible bites mashed together, really) and falling in step with them as Embron refused to be kept waiting with small talk. “I was,” she affirmed with a snicker, “but we got a third of the way through our planned scenes and our director realized they’d forgotten to cast a coati character that was needed, _and_ failed to set up a certain other necessary stage set we’ll need for later. So, once they get their crap together, we’ll resume tomorrow, hopefully.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head as they descended and reached the bottom of the stairs to the next level of the house. “Had I known how scatterbrained the guy was beforehand I might have opted out of this piece. Ah well; helps I’m not the only mammal on set by a long shot who’s just as irritated with him.”

“Eh, sounds like a chore,” Nick muttered. Then he perked up. “Ah, before I forget though, couple questions: one, Embron, ol’ Buffalo Butt asked if you’d be able to spare a few minutes of your day and call him. Apparently he’s got something he needs your expertise on. Can I ask what?”

Embron pursed his lips and one ear flicked off to the side, but then shook his head. “Yeah, I’ll call him” he said, “but no, I’m not going to tell you. Between the two of us.” At Nick’s pleading stare his brows only furrowed deeper. “No. Next question.”

Nick pouted, but decided he could always try again later and moved on. “Fine. Gathered from Bhoot that Savage and Wellinger did already contact you guys as well.”

“Oh yeah,” Scarlet nodded; she’d been skipping steps and prancing along as they entered the basement but now slowed as if burdened by something. “I think I head Skye giggling in the background when Jack mentioned that we’d have to keep Bhoot busy and up to date on his schoolwork for a little longer. The sadists.”

“Said the pot of the kettle,” Judy toned, the corners of her mouth curling as she looked up at the cat.

Scarlet stuck her tongue out at the doe, before continuing. “Yeah, yeah; anyway, call me nuts but I’m half hoping the main mammal they’re after hopped a boat or something, would love to kick their butt myself for all the headaches they caused all those years ago.”

They reached the door leading into the armory and training rooms, Embron pulling it open and then crossing the armory to pull the entrances to the training floors themselves wide as well before stepping aside to let the others file in. As he did so, Nick glanced between the two girls and grimaced. “You two both have death wishes, don’t you? What kind of mammal we talking about anyway, since you’re in the know?”

“Oh, Canadian mountain lion,” Embron supplied, shutting the doors. “Sorry to leave you alone Nick, but I’d join too. She had a thing for biochemistry, one of the ways she got the cult running so smoothly and willingly. All sorts of toxins and such that mess with the head, makes the rest of us scientists look bad when mammals like her go off the rails.” Cracking his knuckles, he looked down at Nick. “You had any other inquiries before we start? Or was the subject of the agents’ excursion it?”

The fox shook his head, and then pointed almost accusingly at Embron. “No, no, wanted to ask about something I saw earlier,” he said, looking the coyote up and down with suspicion. “As Judy and I were trying to ambush you –quit smirking, we’ll figure it out one of these days- a bunch of flashy lights were reflecting off the windows and stuff inside, and I know you don’t have strobes among the plants. What were you working on?”

Embron paused, mouth slightly ajar as if he’d been caught red-handed doing something wrong as he looked over to his sister, but then closed his mouth and returned his gaze to Nick with a wickedly mischievous grin. “Afraid I’m gonna have to pass on answering that one,” he chuckled. “Still working out the kinks and form. Ask again in a month or two perhaps.”

“Aw, come on Embron!” Judy pleaded, spreading her paws wide. “Don’t leave us hanging like that!”

“Sorry Judy, it’s not ready yet,” Scarlet dismissed in sing-song tone. Then she crouched down without giving more time for retort, muscles coiling as she readied to pounce and a sliver of fire winding around her wrist. “Besides, no more time to waste talking; you’re here for a reason today, right? Catch!”

The sliver turned into a spear of burning light and rocketed toward the rabbit. Judy dodged to the side, reaching out to catch it and bend the flames into a whip-like fluid form and snapped one end back at the cat while the other she tossed to Nick.

Scarlet grabbed the burning line too though, smirking. “A little more than that needed, madam,” she tittered, yanking hard on the solid flame and intending to pull Judy off her feet. “Can’t just throw it back at –aaahhh!”

Off her feet Judy certainly did go, but rather than release the line or gasp in surprise and fall on her face, she kept hold as the fire solidified further from where Nick was holding it back down toward Scarlet. It tightened between the two like a bowstring, and a split second later the fox let go, sending the rabbit shooting forward in an arc as she twisted to slam feet-first into Scarlet’s ribs.

The ocelot gasped and let go of the line, tumbling with Judy atop her to the ground. Meanwhile, Embron was forced to lean against the wall to keep himself upright as he wheezed in laughter.

“Oww…I stand corrected,” Scarlet groaned, but she held up a thumbs-up to Judy. “Get off now.”

“Oh yeah, sorry!” Judy apologized, though her triumphant grin remained as she pranced back over to share a high-five with Nick. “We’re not green anymore, see?”

Scarlet stood up and brushed herself off, before smirking at the pair. “Yeah, I see,” she said, shooting a glare at the still-laughing Embron. “And you can hush!” When that, of course, only made the coyote laugh even harder, she cocked her head to the side and looked at Judy, then Nick. “Alright then. New training start: three on one.”

It was like a switch had been flipped, Embron standing bolt upright with ears high and eyes wide. “No, wait, hold on!” he stammered, but it was too late. Target he’d become, and he barely had time to put up a barrier before the three other mammals in the room and their improvised weaponry collided with it.

Another day of training, as usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, another chapter is done! And with it, a glimpse into where all the denizens (or regular visitors) of the Caniston home are at after the years that have passed. For the most part: same as they were before, but naturally we had to throw a kid into the mix just to irk Embron and Scarlet a little too.  
> Anyway, while I hope to be able to keep updates not too spaced apart, as we all know life in general has become rather hectic and unpredictable, and the school semester has just started up again which will eat even more time out of my day. I hope I can balance it all out, but...well, I'll write when I can. Certainly can't just leave the story hanging, too much fun coming up for that. But until the next chapter comes out, feel free to leave thoughts in a comment, if you've got ideas that might fit well into this universe let me hear them too, and until next time...HawkTooth out!


	4. Echo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 1/2 months is too long...damn all the crap I've been having to deal with. But never fear, the next chapter is here!

_While you should never let the past hold you,_

_Neither can you let it be forgotten_

_History marks the future’s path_

_With lessons and signs to live by_

_Time is a circle that never ceases rolling_

_A present that merely changes form_

_And every prior present that has been_

_Leaves an etch, a trace on all to come_

_So learn from the past and remain aware_

_Let not these words go unheard_

_For as Solomon said there is nothing new beneath the sun_

_And all there was will echo forth again_

_Target acquired._

Her eyes narrowed, talons gripping the stone harder as she readied for the jump. It was almost funny how well this would play out for her, no really nasty loose ends to be tied up or fight to be had to finish, but she relished the terror she knew she was about to inflict as she tidied up this job.

Below, a young Vontsira was leaning against the wall of an old mill, one of many buildings that had been abandoned in this little ghost town. He’d been coming here for some time now, using it as an out of the way location where he could trade his contraband goods without authorities tracking him down. The closest actual inhabited town was ten miles away up the valley, the descendant survivor of this decrepit place. The fluffy-tailed mammal knew of course that the off-trail location made it a potential robber’s hide too, so behind the briefcase he held a gun was concealed as well. Thus far though, he’d yet to have need of it, and probably hoped that would continue.

Avery didn’t care about the weapon though. She had the element of surprise and an aerial drop, and had all the background the poor sap below didn’t. He thought he was out here meeting a runner who’d trade his smuggled antique timepieces for some untraceable cold hard cash, but the real truth was he’d been set up by a rival. Avery would be the one bartering the goods later, as she’d already been paid by the opposing smuggler to take care of the competition. So out of this, lunch, and a bonus; really, she didn’t need any more than that.

And that had been her motto ever since the raptor had ghosted the battle a few years before. Much as she still thought it was wrong for all the various trophic levels to play nice, fighting the rest of the world was exhausting and had proven threatening to her good health, so Avery had decided that she’d be so much happier just benefiting off the tensions and gritty underbellies these societies cooked up. A mercenary she’d been before, a mercenary she could be again, and the most unscrupulous kind if she so desired. Wings and some wired cash were all she needed to stay aloof for it after all.

Refocusing, the eagle cocked her head and zeroed in on the Madagascan carnivore below, who was beginning to fiddle with his briefcase and glance around more regularly with concern. _Showtime_ , she decided, and opened her wings just enough to let her drop in a controlled manner down on top of her prey. Her talons swung forward as her shadow deepened the already low light of the area, and as it passed over him the Vontsira looked up, locking eyes with her and freezing in shock and mortal terror.

Avery relished that expression, the look that any proper predator knew well and thrived on; she liked it almost as much, too, as she would savor finding out how Vontsira tasted. A split second away, she readied for the imminent impact…

…that never came. The moment Avery made “contact” the small mammal vanished, and the Haast’s eagle had barely a blink to sputter a shocked “Whaaa..?!” before she plowed into the ground, tripping on her own splayed feet and slamming beak-first into the unforgiving dirt road.

Coughing and shaking the pain and dirt away, Avery spluttered again and scrambled to stand up, looking around in no small bit of confusion. There was no Vontsira anywhere to be seen, only half-century old dilapidated cottages and encroaching vegetation. “The hell?!” she coughed again, blinking owlishly and twisting her neck around to try and make sure she hadn’t somehow missed the little weasel’s last-second escape.

“Well, that looked uncomfortable.”

The eagle froze, now under a disbelief of an entirely different kind. She knew that voice, slightly more gravelly than it used to be, but unmistakable after all the time they’d spent together. Though it solved one mystery at hand however, it brought up too many others, none with appealing answers.

And it brought on a deep, chilling fear, the kind that she had been hoping to instill in her prey not moments before. A slight noise and Avery’s head finally snapped to the right, following the source of the voice and the sound of paws on gravel to the figure leaning in an adjacent cottage doorway.

He’d obviously seen better days, even in this low illumination that was obvious, and Avery suspected she knew the exact cause of the new scars marking his muzzle and head, and gouging part of one ear away. But she’d flown back over that ruin a few days later just to make sure, and there was no way anyone could have actually survived being buried in it.

“You seem surprised to see me, Avery,” Lotera mused, pushing off the doorframe and walking toward the raptor with the slightest touch of a limp in his steps. “I wonder why that could be.”

“B-but…because you were dead!” Avery squawked back at him, awkwardly backpedaling on feet not designed for such action. “I saw the building after, I heard the reports…they drilled you into the dirt and dropped that sully fort on top!”

The Thylacine shrugged, stopping his approach. “More or less,” he agreed, “but there seemed to have been a rather…fortuitous set of circumstances that followed. Either they didn’t bother to check that they’d actually finished the job, or I’ve got a friend somewhere in high places.” He snarled and gestured to his face, winking so as to make one scar across his eye ripple. “Though not quite enough a friend to keep my good looks around, obviously. But it was rather disappointing to crawl out of that pile of refuse only to find no help on the outside either; took me weeks to drag myself out of the forest and patch myself up enough to actually move around half-decently.”

He sighed, leaning against the wall of the old mill, and gestured toward Avery. “And then when I was feeling well enough to go looking, I found our old crew either dead, locked down by Agent Savage and his lot, or abandoning our mission entirely for more self-serving ends. I’m a little disappointed.”

Now some of Avery’s terror was replaced by indignation. “Shove the disappointment, dammit!” she snapped. “You were dead, so far as I could reckon, everyone else was gone on the wind or under chains, and I realized I’d waste less energy just bleeding off their system while I lived the life I was built for! I served me, as the old order would have anyway, just in a modern sense, and I’ve been doing bloody good without running around looking for old artifacts, weird mammals, or supernatural fucking portals that’ll blow up in my face!” The corners of her mouth curled in her best mimic of a snarl. “What’re ya here dipshitting around with me for anyway, if you know what my decision this round will be?”

Lotera didn’t answer right away, his eyes instead flickering past the eagle. Another shadow dropped down from above landing without a sound, making the raptor whirl around to face this new potential opponent. With the light in the sky nearly gone she couldn’t make out all the details, especially under the slick hooded coat the mammal wore, but Avery could tell at least that the figure was young, a lithe predator, and most likely female.

“I’m not all that great now with paw-to-paw combat, thanks to my temporary entombment,” Lotera drawled, walking up next to Avery (who flinched away) and sweeping his paw out. The illusion of the Vontsira reappeared, making the bird start again. “Obviously though, I’ve still got some of my other old skills, but I figured I needed someone to pass on the torch to, as it were. Someone who still has limbs that work properly. I found that in Amelia here as it turned out, and I’ve been training her since I met her. Been building up a new team to work with too, other individuals with skills in places I lack. But now that does bring us back to you.”

He looked down at Avery directly, and Avery met his gaze with force, but even she knew she couldn’t hide her discomfort as all her apprehension returned. “I figured you wouldn’t have much interest in joining up with us again,” the Thylacine continued, “even if I told you I’ve determined that our best bet is a slower undermining of the society that’s been built. But you could still help us out in another way.”

Avery swallowed hard. “A-and what way is that?” she asked timidly.

Lotera’s muzzle turned up in a smile, and then it darkened, and his eyes glazed over with ice.

Avery had the instinct to bolt, and flared her wings to do just that, but the feline swept her paws up and Avery felt her joints lock up, leaving her breathing but otherwise immobile.

“A good teacher always learns from his students as well,” Lotera toned, stepping forward again so that he was mere inches away from Avery’s face. “While I taught Amelia my practices, she showed me some tricks of her own that I could incorporate into the skills I can still wield. So you could say I’ve been training recently as well. And you, my dear raptor,” he reached out and suddenly placed his palm against Avery’s forehead, and her stomach dropped to her feet, “you will be my final test, and first warning.”

There was a sudden surge of energetic pressure within her skull, just on the verge of feeling like true pain, and then Avery saw no more.

* * *

“You break another one of those in here and I’ll shove it where that smell belongs!”

Harrison couldn’t help the grin he sported as he slipped the little vial hidden in his paw back into its container, but he knew Skye wasn’t joking. Not with that snarl she sported at least.

Skye on the other hand didn’t believe for a second that the jaguar wouldn’t use the stink bomb the moment he could escape and leave them alone with the odor though, so she kept up her glare while Jack kept them on the road.

“I wonder sometimes how much you actually value living, Voltom,” the lapin interjected as he drove though, making the vixen glance at him. “Sulfide compounds in an enclosed space with a canid; were it not that I know Embron was the one that equipped you with those abominations I might actually enact a reprimand action.”

“Oh, come on,” Harrison argued back, losing the smile and leaning into his seat again. “A little sense of humor might do the both of you some good. You’ve been uptight these past two weeks, almost worse than before the damn Rift incident, and –YAAHH!!”

As he spoke, the jaguar shifted to lean out the window, and as he did so his shoulder rolled across the side of the seat backing, triggering a hidden pressure switch…and almost immediately after his head nearly punched a hole in the roof when a high-pitched electronic whistle went off right behind his ear.

“Oww…”

“We do have a sense of humor,” Jack said solemnly as the big cat rubbed his cranium, though anyone who could see his face could tell he was desperately trying to hold back laughter. “We’re just better at picking appropriately selective times to use it.” He glanced over at his partner, who was less successful in containing her laughter, and grinned.

Harrison continued rubbing the top of his head and turned to find the offending device they’d set up, removing it and sighing. “Alright, fair play,” he said, before smiling anyway. “Good to know you two haven’t lost it again. I’m shocked that it took me that long to hit the button.”

“I’m not,” Skye tittered, “since you’ve been leaning the other way this whole time fiddling with the stink bomb. You’ve gotten predictable, stop that. No good for an agent to get caught in a pattern.” She turned back around then and focused forward, appreciating the lush farmland and forest patchwork they were driving through…but also focusing on the buildings scattered about with a tint of vitriol.

When they’d first received word about who it was that had broken out, the vixen had almost smashed something, and then had to be restrained by Jack to keep her from commandeering a plane and flying out to the facility to thrash the security guards for letting the damn cat out. The prisoner’s cult, after all, had made Skye think she’d lost her cousin, and when it had finally been quashed and she’d learned the truth it had been a breath of fresh air (after she smacked Rocky for making her believe him dead, of course).

Now all the cards were in play again, and it felt like they’d lost all progress…with no success so far in reeling the line back in since the breakout was discovered.

Jack had argued hard for letting Skye stay on the team for this mission, close as she was to the case, though both of them knew there was the probability she’d still take out her frustrations on the cultist if they found her. Not that it might not be earned; the cougar was a fighter, she wouldn’t go down without a brawl. There was a reason after all that Rocky had been forced to go to ground (or faked being under it, as it were) when the last of her group had ganged up and started hunting after his trail, before other agents brought them down.

The facility itself was in the next country over, but the team was driving here (Jack and company to the north of the capital, Vela and Ringston etc. skirting south to a different set of leads) due to a recent handful of sightings that Mallupe and Matista had dug up for them. The trans-Caucasus highlands were a rugged place, lots of undeveloped areas and unsuspecting cities to hide in and right in the trading hub across eastern Europe into Asia. And oh so full of crisscrossing religions, legends, and potentially dangerous practices to feed off of. Little surprise, of course, that even after a year the cultist wouldn’t feel a need to go very far with such a rich ground to start up from again.

Unfortunately so far every possible lead the team scented out had turned up empty. The breakout itself was a telling sign that this would be difficult though; the building had been basically de-alarmed with no signal and half the cameras cut with almost undetectable loops for the exact length of time that the captive in question had vanished in between guard rounds. All of it had been within a system run by verified authorities and with no internet connections to the outside for “easy” hacking. Mack had told them how few individuals actually had the know-how besides himself to hack a closed system, which made it all the worse.

At least that side of things though, the hackers on the agency’s side could work on handling. The physical problem on the ground, getting miss nutcase back into custody, Agent Jack Savage had known he was more than ready to face. Retribution was always satisfying.

If they could just turn up a real clue to their quarry’s whereabouts, that is.

“How far to the next developed location? Skye asked, glancing out the windows as she resumed tinkering with the flashlight she’d been trying to rewire before Harrison had attempted the stink bomb prank earlier. “Feels like we’ve been driving a touch too long out here. I know the region isn’t exactly the most densely populated place on the planet, but…” She trailed off, peering hard into the trees and falling brick walls as if she could parse out a culprit for their dragging drive.

“I’ve half a mind to agree,” Jack concurred, turning the wheel and taking them away finally from the run-down abandoned lots nearby and into a patchwork of forested spaces, sloping up to a low mountainside. “We’re not too far from Kvareli, but the drive through that old village should have only taken a few minutes.” He frowned, and pulled out a small screen that blinked on with a map that he then handed back to Harrison. “Check the route Voltom; I wonder if I may have made a wrong turn a ways back”-

“LOOK OUT!!” Harrison suddenly shouted, having been looking out the windshield as he reached forward to take the screen. His shout made both of the others yelp, and Jack simultaneously dropped the device and yanked the wheel to the right, swerving violently.

Just in time, as a large brownish blur tumbled across the road and almost into their car from the other direction before it collapsed in the road behind them. Jack slammed on the brakes and flipped the shift into park, and all three agents threw their doors open and turned to face the groaning lump behind them with weapons out and aimed.

The lump shifted within the dust cloud that had been kicked up, then shook itself off and stumbled to its feet, two large wings fluttering out as if it was about to fall over again. Talons and a large break came into view, and the figure called out in a raspy, but clearly feminine voice, “S-sorry ‘bout that, mates. I…I seem to be having a right terror flying straight. I, hope you speak English; can you help tell me where I am?”

The light was low and further obscured by the dust so the agents couldn’t make out any defining features of the bird, beyond that it was clearly a very large eagle; the question, too, sounded sincere enough, but all of Jack’s senses were firing in alarm of something not sitting right. “Yes, we speak English,” he called back guardedly. “Haven’t you a map? Traveling in these parts without direction isn’t exactly safe, even for those not on the ground.” He inched closer, trying to make out more than “eagle”, but the muddy light still wasn’t helping. The rabbit then glanced at the two others, who had better low light vision, but they shook their heads slightly as well; all lowered their guns though, for fear of perhaps shooting an innocent animal.

The eagle shrugged, with a slight visible tremble accompanying the action, and then glanced around, truly looking lost. “That’s the rub, though,” she said awkwardly. “I got nothin’. Woke up nearby with this vest here on, but not a clue where I am or why. I, uh, I’m having a hard time even…even remembering my own name for some reason. I don’t think I was drinking before either…”

She sighed, and turned back toward the agents, hobbling closer to them. “I think I had an accident somewhere, head’s a bit fuzzy.”

“You’re in Georgia, the country,” Skye offered as they continued trying to gain a reading on the bird from a safe distance. As she got closer, her features were clearing up even through the dirt she’d kicked up upon “landing.” “Not really a tourist stop, so you had to have been coming through for a”-

Harrison’s gun came back up first. “Stop moving and put your wings out in front of you!” he snapped sharply.

The eagle froze, eyes opening wide and confusion building.

“Voltom, what…?” Jack started to ask, before it clicked for both him and Skye, and their guns followed his. Few birds got this big, and her features only fit with the exceedingly uncommon Haast’s eagle from New Squealand. And she was close enough now to pick up telltale scars on her face and legs, and her accent was growing more recognizable.

“Avery Hinarei,” Skye growled, her finger on the trigger as Jack reached down for a set of ties. “What game is it that you’re trying to play here?”

Avery, for her part, lit up at the sound of her name, before confusion and panic set in her eyes as she put together that they knew her name, and were aiming guns at her because of it. “W-wait, th-the name sounds right,” she stammered, “but…but why…why the g-guns? Did I do something?”

“Don’t try like we’re stupid, Hinarei,” Skye snapped again. “Wings out. You’ve done plenty and I doubt that you forgot it all in the three years you’ve been flying solo again.”

Jack snapped the ties out, glaring at the bird in a dare for her to try something, as the other two flanked her.

Then, however, Avery did do something that took them all by surprise: she collapsed, eyes squeezing shut as she sobbed with her wings splayed out on the ground. “I don’t remember!” she cried out, heaving. “Where I am, how I got here…my name w-was barely there…I-I’m not twenty years old, I know it…but nothing else is there after! I can’t…I can’t remember!”

Even Jack’s ears caught no acting in the cry, or in the display, and as his shoulders drooped he looked at the others. The Avery they knew didn’t fake things out or pull punches, it wasn’t her style; if she didn’t recall any of what had made her a mercenary, a menace, for so long…she was probably right as loathe as he was to think it. The sobbing pile of feathers on the ground was not acting at all like the bird they’d known.

There was an accident somewhere, and a big blank piece of this new problem was missing because of it.

* * *

Two days with nothing.

Two full days of stepping off the trail, dealing with an interrogation no one expected or wanted but was necessary, and now everyone’s head hurt.

Jack’s especially. He let out a quiet groan and dragged a paw down his face, eyelids stretching as he hoped the strain might draw some of the tension out of him. No dice though, so he turned to look through the detainment room in the Tbilisi immigration facility they were borrowing a wing of now.

Avery sat inside, no longer looking like a lost, confused tourist but more like the panicked amnesiac she really had been when they found her that night. The pointed, digging questions they’d fielded to her hadn’t helped either, nor had the battery of medical tests ordered; it was truly looking like everything after whatever event had turned her into a criminalistic bounty hunter had just been washed out of her head, and all of the things they’d told her she’d done in order to try and jog her memory had only made her look more ill. Rockwell had even been called in to act as a more accurate living lie detector just in case, and he’d drawn blanks too. He had argued that someone like Elisheva would have been better for poking at mental problems than him, but he’d always been good at sniffing out falsehoods as it was so they trusted his word. The Avery of before, for all intents and purposes, had vanished.

“Got a message back from Matista and Mallupe,” Skye said quietly, walking up next to the lapin with a tablet in one paw. She looked worriedly at him, before tilting the screen so that Jack could see. “Ghost of a transaction trail that brought her into the area initially for removing a smuggler’s competition, but everything after about a week ago is gone and when they dug deeper they found the disagreement she’d been paid to end didn’t exist. She was set up by someone.”

“The problem is by who,” Jack muttered, finally pushing away from the window and turning down the hall. Skye followed. “And for what exact purpose; we know physical trauma and some drugs can cause temporary amnesia, or actual damage can make it permanent, but all tests on Hinarei checked out. No chemicals in her system, head’s functioning normally, perfectly healthy in every way except those memories just vanishing. What’s the reason, if any? If it even was an attack that did this and not some other fluke.”

“After that time-warp we were having in the car that day I really doubt it’s a fluke.”

They turned a corner into a lobby-type space, where the rest of the team was waiting. “Any news, or change?” Arveni Pristovena, their resident “hog-burglar,” inquired from his seat.

Rabbit and fox both shook their heads as they slumped into a couple of chairs suited for their size as well. “Not an inch,” Jack groaned. “Avery came to the area on a fake job, but either most of the recent transactions for it all happened in person or the records were scrubbed well enough even the Sparrow can’t pull them back from their internet oblivion, and the older trail bringing her in is from ghost accounts. Her popping up here feels terribly too coincidental to ignore, however.”

“Well, I’d hate to suggest it,” Vela mused from her chair, “but perhaps it’s not at all coincidence?” She gestured with a paw, then looked to the other side of the room where a second Arctic fox dressed up in military-style fatigues was leaning against a column in deep thought. “The Mortifera Collective wasn’t exactly inept at using chemicals and hypnosis techniques to keep their victims willing or unable to fight; causing memory loss is not so odd against that. And their head ‘priestess’ is the one who broke out, some time ago no less. She knows about MacIntyre, not too far to assume she might know also about Primalists like Avery does –er, did.” The maned wolf shrugged, and leaned back again. “If the cougar is still in the area she might have tested something on the eagle. And I’d bet the issues you were having driving around that area might be from an aerosol chemical to encourage distraction; it’d be long dissipated now though, wisely planned.”

“Which would mean she knows we’re here as well, which means she’s already developing a contact network,” Rocky suddenly interjected, turning all heads his way. “Or she was given one by whoever broke her out. Which also means this problem just got a whole lot fucking harder to solve,” he continued, finally looking up and turning toward the others. Reaching down to his left side, he pulled out a canteen of water from a pant pocket and took a quick swig, before capping it again and trudging over to the agents. “Either it’s a test because she’s planning on getting her cult back up and running really soon, or we just wasted two fucking days on a distraction while she relocates again with her new friends, and we’ve got no more time to sit and decide which theory to follow.”

Golden-brown eyes snapped to Jack and Skye, burning with a dangerous intensity. Both of them knew that look meant Rocky was stressed enough to be inches from losing his temper on something, and cringed internally. “So,” the male fox toned, “what plan are we gonna go with? Prep for an onslaught and undermining, or cast the net wide?”

“Both,” Jack said, looking down as he pulled out his phone. He ignored the looks of surprise and confusion from his team as he pulled up the secure link he needed. “We’ll keep Matista tied to us while we start looking through the local towns for leads on suspicious gatherings or disappearances, but I’m going to tell Sparrow to get Trevahe on alert; he’ll be able to get a surveillance web going and connect the eyes needed to monitor it properly, and he can head back to his own quarters to hold the nexus and also look for links to whoever’s the new tech enemy on our runaway’s side. She can’t hide forever, one video catch if she’s on the run again and we’ll know right where she is.”

The screen popped up with a connection to a new canine smirking under a ratty fedora, but before Jack could relay the info the figure tittered, “Caught the convo clear enough, mate. I’ll catch the next flight come morning and start bugging dear Alecia in just a moment.”

Jack frowned. “How did you”-

“You’re in an immigrations office, friend,” Mack interrupted, rolling his eyes dramatically as a tiny video feed popped up in the corner of Jack’s screen, showing them all standing around through the eyes of a nearby security camera. “Cameras and microphones everywhere; lucky it’s me who’s dropping eaves, and Justin. Watch your backs a little closer once I’m away though, savvy?”

“Yeah, yeah, get moving then you showoff,” Skye growled over Jack’s shoulder. Mack in response flashed an even cockier grin, tipped his hat, and then hung up on his end leaving the rest of them staring instead at an image of Matista clicking away on his own computer bank. The sloth slowly looked over and waved, before pausing to await Jack’s instructions.

“Right,” the rabbit huffed, looking around at his gathered team before nodding. “Matista, start tagging any records you can find within a hundred mile radius of possible new meeting announcements, odd supply purchases, police reports on missing individuals or suspicious behaviors, and recent international visitors. Ringston, get to the local hospital, start asking about if any treatments have been done for memory problems, or what methods we might need to combat such chemical weapons or psychological sabotage. Tubolinez, go with her. Pristovena, Voltom, local military support may be needed; it was a fight last time, likely will be the same this time. And MacIntyre, you’re with Wellinger and I, we’re taking Hinarei to a better facility to try and get her treated and contained and then we’re back on the ground. All orders clear?”

The room and phone screen all chimed in with a “Yes sir!”

“Good,” Jack said, nodding to Matista and turning his phone off. “Then move out; we need leads _yesterday_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with Jack and Skye and all amongst their team, but not all is sunny for them. Rather stormy, actually...all the worse with what they're unaware of. Multiple games afoot...  
> Quick couple notes: been hoping that perhaps after all this time I might have heard back from ZNN about my submitting this story, after all for anyone who found the last one through there I had promised sequels, but there have been some rather annoying technical glitches going on there so I fear my emails never actually went through. So if there's another way to contact them, I'm all ears.  
> Also if you like artwork that's Zoot-related, or even tied to this particular variant universe, make sure to check my DeviantArt or FurAffinity accounts as there are 31 new sketches from the "Zinktober" prompts of last month.  
> Lastly: I have no clue when I'll really get more open time to write (though with some changes in other projects recently there are periods of more open time occasionally, but they do have to be allocated to classwork first), so the next update may also be slow. Working on another tale ever so slowly too, so that factors in. But, it ain't gonna be dropped, so fear not. If I start a project, it will get done, eventually, and this series will have its end one day.  
> So until next time, HawkTooth out!


	5. Air of Unease

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, don't want to recount how long it's been...medical issues and school and all else take out a lot of time. But we're back!

_It settles within your very bones_

_Like the chill of a winter wind_

_Aches that radiate discomfort_

_An edge that has no end_

_Say farewell to your peace of mind_

_For something foul runs afoot_

_And break from hopes of future tranquil_

_As the view is marred by soot_

His phone was ringing.

He’d turned it onto vibrate so as to try and get better concentration, but that also meant fewer clues as to who was calling so the act was futile in its intention. Now, it was a debate on whether to check, or just leave it be and keep practicing.

…

Nope, couldn’t ignore it. Damn curiosity, and whatever feeling it was that told him it might actually be important this time (as opposed to the last dozen calls that went nowhere). Embron sighed and put down the crystal he’d had in hand, before reaching over to the stand next to his chair and picking up the buzzing irritant. Flipping it over so the screen was showing, his ears stood upright when he realized the decision had been the right one this time. He clicked answer, and held the phone up to one of said ears.

“Mack! Wasn’t expecting a call so soon; new development on the case or Jack cut you loose early for being a pain in the ass?”

“Had yer phone on vibrate, didja?” the other canine’s voice answered with a slight hint of accusation. “Never takes you that long to pick up otherwise. And nah, I’ve behaved meself this time; too much on the line to mess with the good guys right now. Actually back in town; quarry’s done a pretty number on everyone’s plans and they’ve all got concerns about if she’s gone aloof again. I’m here to throw the nets out, as it were.”

Embron sighed. “No surprise there,” the coyote said, eyes rolling up toward the ceiling. “She’s got a year of lead ahead of them, and it took Rocky two months to track her down the first time. I give it another month at least; they mention bringing us in at all?”

There was a snort on the other end of the line, as Embron got up to wander the halls of the house. “Nah, you know them,” Mack drawled. “Gonna be a bit before they call in more big guns, Though, uh, might be one teensy detail that could change that.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. They found Avery. Or she found them really; nearly collided with one of the cars. And she doesn’t remember nary a damn thing about herself.”

That threw Embron for a pause. He scowled and leaned against the wall, eyes darkening from green to a golden brown. “Yes, that is quite a wrench. Total amnesia?”

“Seems so; Rocky may not be as savvy on the mind as Ellie is, but he couldn’t pick up even a smidge of lies. Everything that made her…well, a complete pain in our asses is gone.”

“Any signs of injury, trauma, or the like?”

“Nada. She’s squeaky clean. Tell me that isn’t suspicious.”

The coyote could do no such thing. Changing his intended course (or really, making one as he’d had no destination in mind before), he headed for the tech lab (his least favorite room in the house if he was honest). “Afraid I can’t,” he responded, drumming his claws along the wall as he walked. “That cat’s had long enough out and about that she could have started tinkering with her mental chemicals again, so her being able to induce amnesia without leaving too much of a trace to find afterward isn’t shocking, but her being able to find Avery…doesn’t smell right at all. There were just enough loose ends from our last big fiasco that I’d worry about Amelia getting ahold of one of Ravelis’ old contacts. Or, you know…the techy way she managed to bust out really reeks of another hacker. You don’t think, perhaps…”

He heard Mack suck in a hissing breath, and then growl out, “No, don’t mention her, please. I know she’s still out there so I’ve kept meself busy getting better where I can, but if she’s been playing the same game no telling how matched we are. I don’t want to find out; I’d drop to nearly useless to everyone if my whole day’s spent dueling that scaly bitch.”

“I have to mention the possibility though, you know that.” Embron opened the tech lab door, the lights switching on as he strode over to boot up the monitors on one wall. “I’ll leave you with your issues though, and work on what I can. Shoot me the data they got on Avery, and whatever they might suspect on Amelia’s location. I’ll get Turtle to chime in if I can too since she might be able to help with the amnesia thing, especially if they bring Avery stateside. Maybe Scarlet can input too…”

“Swell. Gonna be a long haul either way though I expect, but maybe with your help we can speed it along a little.”

From past experiences Embron knew that nothing moved outside the pace it was supposed to, but he shrugged to himself anyway. “No promises, but I’ll do what I can. Chat next update, shalom!”

“Tally ho.”

Mack hung up, and a few second later Embron’s screens started filling with data charts, maps, and images. Embron sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, before glaring at the info. “Yeah, I know, I just asked for it,” he muttered to himself as he sat down and started typing. “Still doesn’t make it fun. Alright, organize; this goes to Turtle, we’ll get the mapping to Sam…oh, look this over before I send it to her…ugh, gonna be a long day…”

* * *

Mack leaned back after sending the info to the coyote, scowling himself as he adjusted his glasses. The possibility that Embron had brought up had actually been in his mind since he’d been called over to help Jack and company. There weren’t many tech geniuses who knew how to break into closed, self-contained circuits and route them with the efficiency that that prison’s security had been though, and even fewer who knew how to completely clean out the evidence of their tampering so that even he couldn’t pick up a signature or trail. And even fewer folks still on top of that were potentially unscrupulous enough to use that skill to break out a super criminal with a severe mental streak.

The signs were all there, but the red wolf couldn’t help but consider that once someone was known, it was hard to disappear completely, and ever since the Rift incident no one, anywhere, had picked up hide nor scale of Desireigh. She had vanished, thoroughly, and it was little surprise why: even if she had survived the jungle, the whole of the higher intelligence community among the nations knew her face and the reward for her capture, at this point alive or dead, was massive and had been ever growing. Going to ground and just looking out for herself was both her standard style from what Mack had been able to piece together after digging up the dark web from one end to the other, and the smartest thing for a most-wanted criminal. But obviously, the monitor had gotten adventurous at least once before…

Dwelling on that wasn’t going to help anyone right then though, least of all the wolf who had a job to do, so Mack shook his head again and sat up to his desk. Rocky was counting on him to help nab the cougar that had made his life hell for so long, and the last thing they needed was for her to be tapping into the already cultish groups that had already established their gratingly opinionated presences in several of the big cities in the States and Europe. Zootopia, especially, really didn’t need that kind of disruption right now, God forbid if she had made it that far. The Night Howler crisis still had a few sore edges healing over.

Mack cracked his knuckles to loosen them up again and pulled open a laptop, starting to code in a scanning algorithm to search faces. There were enough shots of dear Amelia in the prison records and elsewhere that the profile wasn’t hard, but Europe and North Mammalia were big places with a lot of cameras never mind if he had to look beyond that; the local processing hubs were going to hate him for the next few weeks probably, but he needed that power. At least he knew ways to cut the strain a little so other citizens wouldn’t be experiencing too many internet issues, but someone was going to be calling about outages soon.

And, while he was here, thinking about cultists and supremacy problems, there was also that gang that was really getting into prey power making just a little too much noise online now from their Happytown base of operations. There were a couple of cop pairs that could probably use the tip-off about them.

* * *

“They actually set up shop in Happytown?”

Christine regarded her partner’s incredulous question with a shrug. “I know, sounds nuts,” she replied, glancing out the side window as she steered the car around the corner, “but that’s what Hopps said Mack told them. Rather outnumbered down here though, but it is one of the less-policed sites in the city and there are plenty of herbivores here who feel disadvantaged too, so maybe it’s a smart move in some ways?”

Elliot snorted as he looked out the other way. Down here, even though they had a specific goal, every officer kept their eyes peeled for other nefarious goings-on. “I’d still think they’d pick the Nocturnal District,” he muttered. “At least the ratio is a little more even down there.” Then he smirked, and glanced back at his partner. “On the other hand, might make them stick out better if they’re getting active in the open, which will make it easier to find them. We almost there?”

Christine glanced down at the rough directions they were following. What with the tip being about online activity there wasn’t a strict physical location pointed out, but the Sparrow had passed on a general area the gang was known to frequent. “Yeah, couple minutes,” she replied, looking back up and braking as they rolled up to a red light. “If we don’t get held up in traffic too much at least. Lucky that the Wildes are canvassing the other area of note so we don’t have to try and be in two places at once.” She looked over at her partner, and frowned at noticing the wolf grinning absently. “What?”

“Well, if we do get held up in traffic, at least we’re stuck with each other, right?” Elliot said in teasing tone. “Could be worse.”

Christine tried to take it as the surface remark that she knew Elliot was probably trying to make, but couldn’t help the slight blush that darkened under her fur. An ear twitched, and she knew she’d balked at the comment long enough that the wolf was sure to pick up on it.

Sure enough, as the light turned green and she pushed forward, Elliot drawled, “I see; maybe I should have added a crack about having to patrol with Delgato or something. Weren’t you the one who told me you could keep a straight head while on the job still? Flirt off the clock but not in the car? Told you it wouldn’t last.”

Christine forced the heat down and rolled her eyes. “I’m mortal, give me a break,” she huffed. “Especially with how flirtatious that grin of yours was.”

“I was being flirtatious?”

“…You know, as dense as you are with yourself I’m amazed you’re so observant on the job.”

Elliot stuck his tongue out before turning to look out the windows again. Propaganda posters were strewn on the building walls and lamp posts from a dozen political activists and vocal dissent groups, taking advantage of the constant tensions in the area. The wolf spotted a couple that looked like they could be connected to prey supremacy slogans, and filed the images away for a closer consideration later. Tracking down the locations they could have been printed from and taking interviews there could turn up some useful leads, and just looking at who ran the shops would also provide some clues; no supremacy group would support a business run by someone they thought inferior or threatening, or that hired same said mammals.

When they finally reached the set of blocks they were looking for, the two officers radioed in with the Wildes to confirm location, and parked the car out of the way in an empty lot to get out and patrol on foot. Touchy as Happytown was, such a tactic was always on the risky side, but Officers Wolfard and Fangmeyer weren’t known to flinch at much. They had always found it easier to happen upon unscrupulous events when the perpetrators didn’t hear vehicles patrolling about, and the two were among the largest predators in the area with nearly a decade of hard experience under their belts each already, particularly after…well, after the Rift fiasco. There wasn’t much that fazed them anymore.

Though of course, that didn’t stop glares from being pointed their way from random passers-by on the street, or the occasional slur being shouted from a distant corner as the cowardly mammal jogged away cackling. The two of them shared a glance each time, rolled their eyes, and moved on though. It was an attitude that would take City Hall permitting a complete revamp of the area to start to turn around, and that was about as much of a pipe dream as it was for a slum in any big city.

“I’m noticing a trend,” Elliot said softly after about twenty minutes of strolling. He looked around a corner down an alley before turning back to his partner. “You’ve seen the posters and graffiti everywhere, right?” When the tiger nodded (and visibly bit back a sarcastic reply), he continued, “So on the drive over here I definitely spotted a few that were pushing the prey pride and power thing, but so far in the few blocks we’ve walked…not a one.” The wolf crossed his arms as they started moving again, glancing about cautiously as he always did. “Should we take that as a sign that they’re not active in this area, and we should expand the canvas, or that they’re masking their presence by keeping their actual haunts untouched?”

Christine pursed her lips. “You catching any scents that might give a clue?”

Her canine compatriot shook his head. “Too many confounding scents just in the air. Plenty of mixed species.”

The tigress nodded slowly, before grabbing the radio on her shoulder and clicking in. “Wildes? You copy?”

“We copy. Over,” the response came immediately.

“Wolfard has noticed an absence of supremacy propaganda posters in this area that were fairly prevalent on the drive in. We’re trying to decide if that further points to them being here or if there’s been a false flag. You find any evidence yet?”

The radio crackled for a minute, before Judy’s voice returned. “Well, so far I haven’t seen any prey mammals on this side besides myself, so that could say they’ve up and moved or went to ground…Nick is nodding his agreement toward the latter though. We’ll keep looking for a bit and then meet up with you guys to reassess, sound good? Over.”

“Yeah, will do.”

Christine re-hooked the radio to her shoulder, and they started their stroll again. “So nothing conclusive really either way, but our resident former-con thinks they’re probably just going silent for a bit,” she mused, tail tip twitching. “Since it was Sparrow who gave the tip, they probably wouldn’t have up and left without him noticing the shift or a notice online somewhere about a new meeting place, and nothing on the ground would have told them they’re in trouble. I’ll bet they’ve gone to ground in a basement somewhere nearby for their get-togethers, or just relocated on coincidence at most.”

“Or ran into another gang that’s a little more aggressive and disagrees with them,” Elliot offered as they rounded a corner. “Territory takeover and all that, someone else in the area that didn’t like them getting too mouthy and pushed them off.” Slowing, he turned to look down another narrow alleyway. “If that happened then they probably wouldn’t go…too far…uh, I think we may have just found the answer, Christine.”

The tigress halted and backpedaled, turning to note the slight bristle developing in her partner’s fur and his ears standing high. Looking past him, she rapidly found the reason: there was a poster stuck to the wall, some image of a generic ungulate standing on a hill with a “We’re strongest in unison!” slogan scrawled underneath the picture. Cutting through it, however, and across the wall on either side, were deep gashes and dripping, dark rusty red letters below them spelling out “RESET.”

Christine heard Elliot scent the air, followed by the shallowest of relieved sighs. “Well…it’s not blood,” he said softly, “but whoever used that stain knew the exact color they were going for.”

Christine nodded, reaching for her radio again. “Yep,” she agreed, turning the device back on, “and that’s not a peaceful response. Hey, Wildes: we think we might just have found ourselves a lead. Over.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, little bit shorter chapter, as a few may be...though branching out and visiting a few other fun characters in the story. When you build on an already big tale, it just doesn't work to always follow the same group....  
> Anyway, no clue when the next chapter will be out (since all that school and medical yuck and other life requirements are still going on -being broke don't help any of it either-, and of course also still chipping away at the other new story being worked on and prepping for the next art piece), but we're ever moving forward, even if it's slow. A little more picture to paint before things really start sparking.  
> Until next time, HawkTooth out!


End file.
